ELWA – The ticket to energy self-sufficiency

Not everyone’s home is spacious enough for a 1,400,000 liter hot water boiler – but there is definitely enough space for a solar-electric heating element with the same principle. At the end of September, the Austrian media reported: Tyrol's largest “water boiler” is now in operation. With an investment of 7.5 million euros, a hot water storage tank, that uses excess electricity from renewable energies to prepare hot water and thus buffers it in the form of heat, was put into operation.

With the 30-meter high “Power-to-Heat” system in Tyrol, a project has been implemented at a scale that we at my-PV, the Upper Austrian specialist for photovoltaic heat, have been offering for a long time already: Using photovoltaic electricity for the water storage at home – Solar energy is converted into heat and used during the day when it is available. “Power-to-Heat”, but on a smaller and affordable scale for almost every household.

How the ELWA works is impressively simple:

“Power-to-Heat” is also available as a self-sufficient version. The direct current from the PV modules flows directly into the ELWA's built-in heating element. This enables the generation of warm water without complex pipe systems or the use of liquids – only two cables that lead from the solar modules to the water or buffer storage are necessary. Thanks to the autonomous energy supply from the PV generator, there is no dependence on the power grid, which ensures complete energy self-sufficiency.

Commissioning is just as straightforward – the ELWA does not even have to be connected to the socket, only if you want to ensure its comfort even in times with little solar yield. After connecting the module string, you can get the most out of your photovoltaic system. The ELWA uses direct current directly from the PV modules and therefore does not require an inverter or grid access permit. This ensures complete independence from the power grid – even in the event of a power failure.

The solution for energy efficiency and independence

In addition to the uncomplicated installation and operation, the ELWA enables the environmentally friendly heating of water exclusively using PV electricity. There is no need to purchase electricity from the grid; hot water supplies are guaranteed even during power outages.

In the summer months, the conventional heating system can even be switched off completely, reducing the dependence on fossil fuels for hot water preparation. Moreover, you avoid short cycles or partial load operation and thus protect the boiler or heat pump. During the cold season, the ELWA relieves the load on the heating system, increases its service life and enables energy cost savings all year round.

No wonder our customers call the ELWA “simple and ingenious”. Read in our reference projects how an owner of the ELWA switched off his gas heating completely for eight months or how another customer saved 200 litres of heating oil per year.

Now available!

We are pleased to announce that the ELWA is now available from stock. Take the step towards energy self-sufficiency to save a lot on energy costs this winter. Further information can be found on our website and from our sales partners.